26 May 2010

Something I have been meaning to do for a while is to tell you about a few people I have met since starting Three Red Apples. People that I identify with, whose work I admire, inspiring people, and just generally nice people... I have been working from home since I left Uni, but setting off this on new adventure has made me love it even more. The only downside for me was (apart from not working for myself) the lack of contact with people. I know some will roll their eyes at this, but it is true! Blogging, twitter, flickr and facebook make it a whole lot more sociable!

Anyway, I wanted to tell you about Lisa over at Pennycones. I think we both started selling online around the same time. A little while back Lisa had a giveaway on her blog asking readers to comment about their favourite item in her shop. What a good idea I thought and commented! Only I felt a little embarrassed when I found out I'd won it. Just didn't feel right taking from someone starting out like me (I'm not entering anymore giveaways now haha!). I sent one of my little hearts for her little girl to make me feel better, and received this beautiful scarf... Not only that, she also added a little clay owl and a cross-stitch hanging, all beautifully wrapped.

Pennycones is on Etsy where she is having a big sale on her already reasonably priced items. She has also just opened her very own online shop. Both are full of lovely stuff!I'm a big fan of her dresses...

Psst: for discounts and updates, Pennycones is also on twitter and facebook.

**UPDATE!! Lisa's offering 20% off in her shop, how can you resist?! Use the code MAY1020.

... that said I have been very busy setting up my new studio, mon p'tit atelier. Wallpaper stripping, filling the walls (filler is my new best friend :), painting, more painting, cleaning, moving all my stuff... you get the idea! I'm getting there but in the meantime it is making things difficult to get online, visit my usual daily reads and do some sewing.

I also spent many hours scouring for wallpaper, oh the agony of making that final choice! It was almost as hard a decision as Ade deciding on his new climbing boots! (just as well our lives are not too complicated haha!). I was looking for vintage wallpaper, I found a few sites online but the goods came after a little help from Twitter friend Kristy over at Vintage Pleasure. She put me onto FunkyWalls, go and have a look you'll understand why I spent hours looking! If you are into vintage stuff that is.

A choice was made (!), emails exchanged and the wallpaper sent on Saturday. I am REALLY hoping it will get here tomorrow, the wait is killing me!

I hope wallpaper laying comes naturally to me... Photos to come once the work is done but in the meantime here is a little montage of the room empty...

There's been some skiving 'round here...! I thought it was high time I showed them to you!

Aren't they gorgeous?!

Both were found in France, one is French and one is Scottish.

The smaller one is the Scottish lass, she's a 221K Featherweight model. Thanks to Singer's website, I have been able to find out her date of birth, 21st September 1948, Kilbowie, Clydebank.

I haven't worked out the model of the bigger and MUCH heavier one, but I know she was made in the Singer Bonnière factory in France. They started making them there from 1935. Who knows how old my old French lady is, I am sure she has many stories to tell... I love that she has has a little patriotic ribbon for the key!

Both were given to me by my sister. What a gem...

I have been busy looking for some attachments for them, and some narrower bobbins for the small one. They both seem to work well.I can't wait to use them properly! Patience, patience... I need to set up my new studio in our spare bedroom first...